SCH's Fairy Gauge and Endwalker Implementation

[HyperiusUltima]

Yes, I know this is a thread about SCH - but too many people literally focus on the doom and gloom that has been Healers for the past 8 years just because it feels like the dev team explicitly ignores them. In general, I think that we need to actually back something that can boost attention through the Like system here to get actual change.

First and foremost, I will give credit where it is due - they fixed GCD issues since we already had so much to weave on WHM. 1.5s cast times are great alongside the new instance of including buffs as a way of adjusting the Healer to be more supportive.

What I will say though is that we've had WHM and AST get some good changes and adjustments based on the trailer alone and the live letter information. However, SCH literally has not changed, fundamentally and in execution.

1) Fairy Gauge.

I will complain about this to the end of time until they do something about it. Shadowbringers SCH only brought one other choice to use the Fairy Gauge on, and that was Fey Blessing. 10 Gauge. The only other option we have is Fey Union, and even then it is mostly used for big regens on the Tank. What I expected out of this Trailer was a new Fairy Gauge action, because SCH actually builds up too much gauge to use on much else other than Union. With how much downtime healers have in terms of healing, the Fairy Gauge is a part of SCH's gameplay that has very little impact, even at high level play.

2) Dissipation Lockout.

These I can understand completely from design. SCH is supposed to manage their Aetherflow properly and use it appropriate where there is damage in the fight to heal; or, they use Aetherflow for damage on the boss in order of priority. What tends to happen is that Dissipation is meant to be an emergency tool, but once the skill level of players is high enough, it turns into a DPS tool for SCH to use. One thing I think is detrimental however is the fact that we're locked out of Seraph and Fairy Abilities during Dissipation because the Fairy isn't there.

This presents its own problem, as wrong usage of the skill is rather punishing since you're limited to your Aetherflow abilities for 30s, and once you're out of Aetherflow, you're basically at base SCH. The 20% Healing added doesn't make up for things here either. Considering SMN got a treatment that decoupled it from its pets and made them instant through summons, I think SCH needs that kind of attention as well if it's going to remain interesting to people.


It's blatant to the healing community that Sage is more than likely going to be taking SCH's place as the Barrier Healer due to Sage's diverse kit we got to sample in the Live Letter. We also don't know what this 'powerful buff' that SCH has aside from Movement Speed.

I'll reiterate, but what SCH really needs is an ability that is impactful from building up Fairy Gauge and then spending a large chunk of it all at once; let's say, 50. I want to think of something that applies a significant Direct Hit Rate boost to all. The first thought was Haste, but then I remembered that Haste makes Waste since everyone learned that from the Arrow when HW AST was able to make people go faster in their rotation than everyone else. Other than that, I don't know what to think other than waiting for the patch notes with an expectation that SCH will not be fun for a long time.

[Boizinho]

Shadowbringers SCH only brought one other choice to use the Fairy Gauge on, and that was Fey Blessing. 10 Gauge. The only other option we have is Fey Union, and even then it is mostly used for big regens on the Tank. What I expected out of this Trailer was a new Fairy Gauge action, because SCH actually builds up too much gauge to use on much else other than Union. With how much downtime healers have in terms of healing, the Fairy Gauge is a part of SCH's gameplay that has very little impact, even at high level play.

Not sure if you caught it judging by this part of the post, but they did show Fey Blessing in the job trailer and it consumed no Faerie Gauge. So that one other spell that ShB introduced to the gauge is actually now off the gauge. It's apparently back to being an Aetherpact meter and nothing else.

[RyuDragnier]

Not sure if you caught it judging by this part of the post, but they did show Fey Blessing in the job trailer and it consumed no Faerie Gauge. So that one other spell that ShB introduced to the gauge is actually now off the gauge. It's apparently back to being an Aetherpact meter and nothing else.

Perhaps it's due to Recitation? They may have upgraded that to be a specific amount of time without gauge or AF use. Meaning SCH's version of Thin Air.

[HyperiusUltima]

Not sure if you caught it judging by this part of the post, but they did show Fey Blessing in the job trailer and it consumed no Faerie Gauge. So that one other spell that ShB introduced to the gauge is actually now off the gauge. It's apparently back to being an Aetherpact meter and nothing else.

I did. Still disappointed as hell they didn’t give us another gauge spender that is not Fey Union. Honestly, they can add something to use with the Fairy Gauge; but if they’re going to keep this pet aesthetic forever they need to actually give us stuff to use it on.

[Oshirigami]

There needs to be an offensive spender for the Faerie Gauge.
As it stands now, the job would basically play no differently if they removed Faerie Gauge and just gave cooldowns to the single spender it currently has.

I think the best thing would be to give an offensive spender, that continuously drains gauge just like Aetherpact but is instead giving yourself and allies a damage buff against the Disunioned target.

They could also just make Eos the default pet, and it's Selene who comes out when you Union or Disunion and follows them, so you also wouldn't need to move Selene around to Aetherpact someone.

Paladin also has a similar problem of its gauge only being defensive, but often ends upstuck maxed out with nothing to do with it in 8 man content as the off tank. Those are design issues that should be fixed.